I have just recently returned from two weeks of meetings and factory tours in China and Hong Kong and I am still trying to adjust to the 14 hour time difference. It is hard to describe the pace at which changes take place in both China and Hong Kong. For example, I had this same view from my hotel in Shenzhen (above) when I visited in March and the 100+ story tower on the left side was not a part of the skyline. The rise of the consumer class in China has been dramatic and noticeable. Especially as you attempt to navigate the border crossing from Hong Kong into China. What used to be a slow, tedious 40 minute DMV-like process has ballooned into 2 hours of close quarter combat, where being civil and polite will only come off as weakness and add another hour to your destination. I recommend traveling light with only a back-pack, your passport and tissues for your tears when you see the line for the taxi stand (add another 2 hours). Beyond the overcrowding, the language barriers and the fact that it is difficult to tell exactly what is different about the meat at McDonald's, traveling in China is always exciting and rewarding. Where else do you get to see someone transporting a semi-sized load on a 3-wheeled trike in the controlled chaos of rush hour?